Corn-popper.



M. A. FREEMAN.

CORN POPPEB. APPLIoATIoN FILED MAR. 7, 1911.

i 1,019,448, Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

COLUMBIA PLANouRAPI-l co..wAsH|NaToN. D: c.

TED sTATEs PATENT oEEmE.

MEEEIEL A. EEEEMAN, or NEW HARMONY, INDIANTA.I

CORN-TOPPER.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MERRIEL A. FREEMAN,

citizen of the United States, residing at New4 Harmony, in the county ofPosey and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Corn-Poppers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to corn poppers and has for its object theprovision of a comparatively simple and thoroughly efficient device ofthis character, by means of which corn may be popped over a gas or coalfire without danger of the flame coming in direct contact with the grainand scorching or otherwise burning the same.

A` further object of the invention is to provide a corn pepper includinga vessel having a lid or cover provided with a depending agitator, thelower end of which bears against the bottom of the vessel so that whenthe cover is rotated, the corn will be thoroughly stirred to eect thepopping thereof.

A further object is to extend one end of the metal forming the agitatorthrough the top of the cover to permit the attachment of a finger pieceor knob for rotating said cover.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve thisclass of devices so as to increase their utility, durability andefficiency, as well as to reduce the cost of manufacture.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description,it being understood that various changes in form, proportions and minordetails of construction may be resorted to within the scope of i theappended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof,reference is to be had to the following description and aocompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a corn popper constructed inaccordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of thesame; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 8-3 ofFig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 4 is a detailperspective view of the cover remo ved, showing the construction of theagitator.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 7, 1911.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

Serial No. 612,832.

The improved corn pepper forming the subject matter of the presentinvention comprises a vessel or container 5, preferably cylindrical inshape, as shown, and formed of metal or other suitable material, saidvessel beingprovided with a handle 6 extending laterally from theexterior wall thereof and preferably riveted or otherwise rigidlysecured thereto at a point below the top of the vessel.

Mounted for rotation on the top of the vessel 5, is a lid or cover 7having a depending flange 8 which projects within the vessel 5 and alaterally extending circumferential Flange 9 which extends over theupper edge of said vessel.

Depending from the cover 6, is an agitator 10, preferably formed of asingle length of wire having its intermediate portion bent upon itselfto form a horizontal bar 11 adapted to bear against the bottom of thevessel 5 and its opposite ends extended upwardly and flattened forcontact with the inner face of the depending ange 8, and to which thewire is rigidly secured by rivets, solder or the like. One end of thewire forming the agitator, is extended upwardly through an opening inthe cover 7, to form a support 12 for a finger piece or knob 13, bymeans of which the cover may be conveniently rotated so as to cause theagitator to thoroughly stir the grain within the containing vessel. Theknob 13 may be secured in any suitable manner to the pin or support 12,but it is preferred to permanently secure said knob to the pin orsupport by solder or the like.

It will here be noted that the agitator 10 is in the form of a U-shapedyoke, the height of which is slightly greater than the height of thevessel 5, so that when the agitator is positioned within the vessel withthe hori- Zontal bar 11 bearing against the bottom of said vessel, thelaterally extending flange 9 of the cover will be spaced slightly fromthe upper edge of the vessel 5 so as to permit free rotation of saidcover without undue friction between the parts. In other words, thehorizontal bar 11, by contact with the bottom of the vessel 5, forms ineffect a bearing for the cover, while at the same time serves tothoroughly agitate the corn to effect the popping thereof.

In using the device, the grains of corn are introduced within the vessel5 and the latter placed over a gas or coal fire until the grains becoinethoroughly heated, after which the finger piece or knob 13 is grasped inthe hand and the cover 7 rotated so as to cause the horizontal bar ofthe agitator to travel over the bottom of the vessel 5 and thoroughlystir kthe corn during the popping thereof and prevent the latter fromscorching or otherwise burning. By such a construction, the llame isprevented from coming in direct contact with the corn, thus producing aclean white product. The metal forming the side walls of the vessel 5 ispreferably st-amped or rolled to produce a circumferential reinforcingbead let having one or more perforations l5 formed therein to permit theescape of air through the vessel during the popping operation. Ifdesired, a small quantity of grease or lard may be placed in the vessel5 before starting to pop the corn, and in some cases sugar may also beadded to sweeten said corn.

It will here be noted that the attaching flange of the handle 6 issecured to the vessel 5 at the reinforcing flange 15 thereof so as toprevent buckling or bending of the walls of the vessel.

It will be noted that by securing the agitator 10 directly to the cover7, when the latter is removed from the vessel 5, the agitator is alsoWithdrawn, thus exposing the entire contents of said vessel andpermitting the corn to be readily removed.

The corn poppers may be made in different sizes and shapes and providedwith any number of depending agitators, without departing from thespirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A corn popper including a vessel having a closed bottom and open top,a cover mounted for rotation on the vessel and having a laterallyextending flange projecting over the top of said vessel, and an agitatorrigidly secured to the cover and having its lower end normally restingon the bottom of the vessel, thus to space the flange of said cover fromthe upper edge of the vessel.

2. A corn popper including a vessel having a closed bottom and open top,a cover mounted for rotation on the vessel above the y upper edgethereof, a substantially U-shaped agitator rigidly secured to the coverand normally bearing against the bottom of said vessel, one end of theagitator being extended through the cover to form a supporting pin, anda finger piece mounted on said supporting pin for rotating the cover.

3. A corn popper including a vessel having a closed bottom and open top,a cover mounted for rotation on the vessel above the upper edge thereofand provided with a depending flange extending within said vessel and ahorizontal flange project-ing over the upper edge of the vessel, asubstantially U-shaped agitator carried by the cover and formed of asingle length of wire having its intermediate portion bentI to form atransverse bar normally bearing against the bottom of the vessel and itsopposite end extended upwardly in contact wit-h and secured to the innerface of the depending flange, one end of the wire being extendedupwardly through said cover to form a support, and a finger piecesecured to said support for rotating the cover. Y

4. A corn popper including a cylindrical vessel having an open top andclosed bottom, a cover mounted for rotation on the vessel and providedwith a depending flange litting within said vessel and a laterally eX-tending flange projecting over the upper edge of the vessel, and asubstantially U- shaped agitator carried by t-he cover and formed of asingle piece of metal having its intermediate portion bent to produce ahorizontally disposed bar normally resting on the bottom of the vesseland its opposite ends extended upwardly in contact with and MERRIEL A.FREEMAN. [Ls] lVitnesses:

FRED. N. MIESEL, MILTON L. JOHNSON.

Copies of this patent may 'be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner Aof Patents. Washington, D. C.

